This invention relates to a method of treating acne. More particularly, it relates to a method of topically treating acne with a composition containing a mixture of higher alcohols and lower alcohols.
Acne is a common inflammatory disease. It is characterized by the presence of comedones, inflammatory papules, pustules or cysts. The effects of acne vary from slight pitting to extremely disfiguring scars. It is commonly believed the presence of free fatty acids in the sebum is a primary cause of acne. These are produced principally by hydrolysis of sebum triglycerides and possibly by stearyl esters and/or wax esters by bacterial lipases, principally those of Corynebacterium Acne and/or lipases from an endogenous source. This event leads to rupture of the sebaceous duct of release of sebum or fat secretion and keratinaceous products into the skin instead of coming to the surface. The fatty acids are irritants to the tissue.
Various methods have been attempted for preventing the formation of acne and for treating it. Generally, such treatments have involved the topical application of various agents to the affected areas. Methods of treating acne have ranged from applying antibiotics to the affected areas to washing the affected areas with soap and water. U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,716, Stoler, May 16, 1972, suggests that acne can be controlled by the application of benzyl alcohol to the affected areas. The Stoler disclosure indicates that benzyl alcohol is effective in inhibiting the formation of free fatty acids and is, for this reason, an effective anti-acne agent. While various solutions to the problem of acne have been offered with varying degrees of success, there is still a need for an acne treatment which efficiently and effectively works.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of treating acne.
It is another object of this invention to topically treat acne with a composition which is both efficacious and is not harmful to the treated areas.
It is still another object of this invention to topically apply to skin affected by acne a composition containing a mixture of alcohols.
These and other objects will become apparent from the description to follow.
As used herein, all percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.